Selwyn continues to look at the last beatitude: ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you’ (Matthew 5:10-12).
He makes a number of good points in today’s study: “In some parts of the world Christians are being hounded to death and live out their lives day by day in fear and trepidation. (this site has details on persecution in the world today) Here in the West, Christians are not so much troubled by the threat of physical persecution because of their stand for Jesus Christ as by such things as snubs, rejection, discrimination, the calculated insult and the contrived put-down.”
As usual, to help with our understanding, Selwyn also discusses what is not persecution because of righteousness: “When a person questions our beliefs, for example, this is not persecution. Having someone disagree with us is not persecution. A conflict between you and an unbeliever, however sharp the dispute, is not necessarily persecution. Persecution (because of righteousness)Â is a malicious attack upon someone because of their testimony and faith in Jesus Christ.”
On the other hand; Selwyn reminds us (by quoting Francis Schaeffer) – Â ”that if the world does not have a problem with us then we should take that as a warning sign that we may not be conforming to Christ.”
It’s my view that the more we allow the Spirit of Jesus to shine in our lives, the more likely it is for those who live in darkness to ‘attack’ us – and, I don’t think they really understand why they respond in such an angry way – what do you think about this issue?
Selwyn’s prayer has a good focus: “Gracious Father; shine Your Holy Spirit into my heart so that I might see if my life is being lived in correspondence with Your Word. Take from me all fear of persecution, and help me to live as I should, reflecting Your power and Your love. Amen.”
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What persecution is not
Selwyn continues to look at the last beatitude: ‘Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you’ (Matthew 5:10-12).
He makes a number of good points in today’s study: “In some parts of the world Christians are being hounded to death and live out their lives day by day in fear and trepidation. (this site has details on persecution in the world today) Here in the West, Christians are not so much troubled by the threat of physical persecution because of their stand for Jesus Christ as by such things as snubs, rejection, discrimination, the calculated insult and the contrived put-down.”
As usual, to help with our understanding, Selwyn also discusses what is not persecution because of righteousness: “When a person questions our beliefs, for example, this is not persecution. Having someone disagree with us is not persecution. A conflict between you and an unbeliever, however sharp the dispute, is not necessarily persecution. Persecution (because of righteousness)Â is a malicious attack upon someone because of their testimony and faith in Jesus Christ.”
On the other hand; Selwyn reminds us (by quoting Francis Schaeffer) – Â ”that if the world does not have a problem with us then we should take that as a warning sign that we may not be conforming to Christ.”
It’s my view that the more we allow the Spirit of Jesus to shine in our lives, the more likely it is for those who live in darkness to ‘attack’ us – and, I don’t think they really understand why they respond in such an angry way – what do you think about this issue?
Selwyn’s prayer has a good focus: “Gracious Father; shine Your Holy Spirit into my heart so that I might see if my life is being lived in correspondence with Your Word. Take from me all fear of persecution, and help me to live as I should, reflecting Your power and Your love. Amen.”
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